How to Find the Best Runner Diet for You and Your Training

For some runners, the way they eat is an integral part of their training plan.

For others, nutrition for runners is a second thought, or may not be paid much attention to until it becomes a problem.

Either way, runner diet advice can vary greatly depending on who you talk to. One of the most common questions I get asked as a coach and registered dietitian is this:

“What should I eat?”

While I don’t believe there’s one best diet for runners, or humans, I do believe some nutrition plan for runners offer more benefits than others.

Sports nutrition is a relatively young science, so we’re always learning!

When you strip nutrition down to the basics—macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals)—there are many scientific truths.

This article will review some of the latest runner diet plan options available, including the trends and fads in runners nutrition, covering the research that has been done thus far (if any), and what to consider when choosing a running nutrition plan for you.

Whether you are looking for the best diet for runners to lose weight or you want to focus on performance nutrition for runners, there is a best way of eating for you, and hopefully today we can help you find it.

How Does What Food You Eat Impact Your Run?

Our body and brain need energy from macronutrients to go fast and far, and need a balance of micronutrients to keep all the systems (e.g. digestive, cardiovascular, muscular, etc.) happy.

Making small improvements by eating more nutritionally-dense foods means it’s more than likely you’ll notice an improvement in your fitness as well.

Without an adequate amount of calories and micronutrients, the body will fail to make progress in endurance, strength, or speed.

When do you need to change your diet?

There’s no time like the present!

Seriously, there is no “wrong” time to assess your diet.

Actually, there is one wrong time:

The day before, or morning of, a race, after all, we never want to change anything just before a big race!

It doesn’t matter if you’re training or “just” running for health, fitness, stress-relief, etc.—assessing the foods you eat to increase your awareness of how they make you feel will almost always lead to positive improvements.

Chances are these improvements will include better sleep, more stable energy levels throughout the day, more energy for your running routine, and faster recovery.

What is the Ideal Nutrition for Runners?

The following are the diet trends I consider the most common among athletes right now.

Read on to get the gist of each, and end with points to consider for yourself and your lifestyle.

Low-carb high-fat (LCHF)

Following a LCHF diet means that, of your total daily energy intake, no more than 25 percent of energy (e.g. calories) is from carbohydrates, and at least 60 percent is from fat.

This leaves a maximum of 15 percent of calories to come from protein.

Fat is a longer-lasting fuel source, and the body can store more energy in fat than it can in carbohydrate.

A LCHF diet may train the body to use fat as fuel more efficiently, meaning you run farther on the body’s stored energy

What does that mean?

Your body burns more body fat, making some consider it as the best diet for runners to lose weight.

This approach seems to be most popular as an ultra runner diet.

Research suggests that it may take as few as five days of training with LCHF to “enhance fat-burning capacity,” and after only two to three weeks on this diet, one “achieves adaptation to high blood ketone concentrations.” (1)

More traditional nutrition recommendations for runners have included a much higher intake of carbohydrates (e.g. 45-55 percent of total energy), and about half the amount of fat (20-35 percent of total energy).

However, the following micronutrients may require additional attention for vegans and vegetarians, as a plant-based diet does not always provide adequate amounts: iron, vitamin B12, calcium, and vitamin D. (3)

Focusing so intently on the amount of food consumed is likely to take focus away from the type of food(s) consumed, and whether or not these are nutrient-dense options.

Many of these diets emphasize specific macronutrients—which are a big piece of the fueling puzzle—but micronutrients count, too!

I highly encourage you to seek the advice of a nutrition professional, such as a registered dietitian, before making any drastic dietary changes.

Knowledge is power, and that can translate to more strength, speed, endurance, and hopefully enjoyment on the run!

RunnersConnect Insider Bonus

Download your FREE Guide where we share the Best Foods to Eat Before Running inside your Insider Members area.

The guide contains 5 of the most nutritious foods to eat before a run lasting 60 minutes or less and 10 foods that will fuel you through your runs over 60 minutes. Each of these carefully selected pre run foods will help you feel better in your training (while making sure they do not upset your stomach!)….we all know how bad that feels!

Heather Caplan is a registered dietitian and marathon runner in the DC area.She coaches runners for Team Amazing Day, and can be found through her website, heathercaplan.com, for all coaching and nutrition inquiries.

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